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History

The History of LittleBoy Park, Thornaby

Posted on March 20, 2019

Lt. Wilfred Littleboy, was born in Stockton 26 September 1896, he was an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and sadly killed 9 October 1917, during the abortive attack on the Polderhoek Chateau, Ypres, a German HQ building. The 1st Battalion DLI was part of the Brigade which carried out the attack. Although it was initially successful, there was a high cost of life and the Château could not be held due to a combination of stiff resistance from an enemy firmly ensconced in concrete pill-boxes. Casualties rose, and the order was given to retire. By the end of the War there was little of the original chateau left, and the owners never returned.

Wilfred Littleboy, was the youngest son of Charles William Littleboy, a shipbuilder in Thornaby, and his wife Agnes Eveline. With the outbreak of the Great War, Wilfred was keen to do his bit so he gave up school and enlisted in The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. In October 1917 the Battalion received orders to attack the strongly defended Polderhoek Chateau, Wilfred went forward with his platoon. He was hit in the leg, but still pressed on with the attack, only to be shot again and killed. Wilfred’s parents donated a plot of land to the town of Thornaby-on-Tees. The park area known as Littleboy Park was opened to the public by his mother in 1930, as a memorial to their son.

Details courtesy of Bob Wilson. The War Grave image and commemorative certificate courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission http://www.cwgc.org